On the Run: Allen Park 10K 2011

I lived in Allen Park for 13 years and this was the first time I ran in the Allen Park 5K/10K.  In fact, on Saturday I ran more miles in Allen Park than I did in all the time I lived there!  Anyway, I felt the time had come and sort of at the last minute Katie and I decided to do this race.  It had been a while since our last race so we felt ready to take on another.  Plus, Allen Park is so close and we could park at my mom and dad's, use their bathroom instead of gross Port-a-Potties, and walk three blocks to the starting line.  It was also a small race so there wouldn't be any hassle with crowds.  And it was only a 10K.  Easy, right?

Wrong.  I mean, we were right about all the logistics of the race but one thing we failed to take into consideration was the weather.  Specifically the heat.  More specifically the humidity.  Remember the horror that was the Dexter-Ann Arbor 1/2 Marathon?  Yeah, it was that all over again but thankfully this was only 6.2 miles.  Only 6.2 miles, however, was still about 3.2 miles more than I was comfortable with.  But let's start at the beginning.

The weather seemed nice when I first went outside.  A little warm but not too bad.  By the time the race started at 9:00, however, the temperature was definitely starting to creep up.  I planned to start out slow so I didn't overexert myself too early and had a playlist designed to set that beginning pace and slowly build as I ran.  And then I realized that I didn't properly sync my iPod so I didn't have that playlist.  I wasn't in the mood for one of my others so I did something I've never done at a race: I hit "shuffle."  Fortunately, this is my old Nano and because I use it exclusively for working out, everything on there is fine for running.  Except that some are slower warm-up songs, some are faster mid-run songs, and some are those power-pumping, drag-your-butt to the finish line songs when all you want to do is flag down the nearest emergency vehicle for a ride to Starbucks.  I like being able to plan out at which point in the race certain songs come on but I decided to take my chances.  

Anyway, the playlist wasn't the problem.  If only.  I started out a little faster than I should have but not by much.  Under normal circumstances that wouldn't have been a big deal.  But back to that humidity. All too soon I realized that I should have worn a tank top instead of the tee shirt I chose at the last minute.  Mistake #1.  I also should have stopped for a drink sooner than I did.  Mistake #2.  When I stopped for a drink, I should have made sure it was water and not Gatorade.  Mistake #3.  I only had a sip or two and when I got to what I knew was definitely a water station (manned by a cute little old couple), I made sure to stop.  It was too late, though.  The Gatorade on a nearly empty stomach just made me want to throw up.  Plus my heart rate was at a steady 200, which is way too high.  

A rare moment of running near the end.

So I did what I hate to do the most.  I walked.  I had no other choice.  So from mile 4.5 to the end, I alternated between running and walking; running til I couldn't stand it anymore, then walking til my heart rate dropped to 190, then running again.  At this point I didn't care about my time or pace.  I just wanted to get to the end without collapsing on the streets of Allen Park.  Somehow I managed to keep going and Katie finished just after me.  

Photo finish:

What is UP with that weird leaning-back stride thing I've got going on?

 And after the race - a photo I'm particularly proud to show you:

Look to the finish line - it's Katie!

So, I think I've learned my lesson about running in the humidity.  I shouldn't do it!  Well, for races, at least.  Until I do a better job acclimating, my body clearly won't be able to handle it.  

All in all, though, it wasn't the worst race.  (That prize goes to Dexter-Ann Arbor.)  As I mentioned, it was close, easy to get to, and not crowded.  The course was through residential neighborhoods with plenty of shade and lots of people out to show support.  A 9:00 start time is a little late for an August 10K, though, and the goodie bag, tee shirt, and post-race food wasn't much to speak of.  (Though you'd think an event sponsored by the Detroit Lions might have a little more to offer than a plastic key chain, a pen, and a pencil.)

The best part of the race?  (Yes - surprise! - there was something good about it.)  The best part was having my mom and dad there to cheer me on.  This was the first time they'd seen me in a race and I was really proud to be able to run past them and see them clapping and waving.  They were stationed about half a mile before the finish and they stayed out until Katie and I had passed them both times (for the 10K you had to do the same loop twice - another downside).  Brian was with them the first time and then moved to the end to see us finish.

See how excited I was to see Brian and my parents?  [Note: This was during the first loop so I was still in good shape.]

So, would I do this race again?  My first thought was "Never again!"; however, a small-town race with a great friend and my family on the sidelines definitely has appeal.  I'll just be sure to check the weather forecast before signing up for it next year.  

Time

 55:03

Pace

8:53/mile

Fuel

Toasted Nuts and Cranberry Luna Bar, banana

Tunes

iPod set to "shuffle"

Better Than Gatorade

Recently I wrote a post about adjusting to running in higher heat and humidity and ways to protect your body from heat-related illnesses.  As a follow-up, I wanted to write a brief post about my favorite drink to rehydrate after a particularly grueling run or workout – coconut water.  Not coconut milk, which is the thick, fatty cream that comes from the meat of the coconut.  Coconut water is the clear liquid inside a young coconut.  More like coconut juice, I suppose.

I didn’t discover coconut water until it was in the goodie bag after the Detroit Free Press ½ marathon 2 years ago.  Honestly, when I first tasted it I thought it was disgusting.  I finished it because I was thirsty but it was not something I ever planned on drinking again.  The following summer I read something about the benefits of coconut water so I decided to try it again.  That time I actually liked it.  I think it helped that it was chilled this time.  Chilled coconut water after a long race or a tough outdoor summer boot camp really hits the spot.  Unfortunately, it’s not exactly cheap so although I could drink it on a regular basis, I reserve it for days when I sweat more than usual or feel dehydrated; days when water just doesn’t quite cut it.

Why is coconut water so good for you?  Well, it’s like a natural sports drink because it is full of electrolytes – mainly potassium.  One serving contains more than 2 bananas worth of potassium.  It is also low in calories.  It does contain sugar – 15 grams  - but it is all natural.  Another bonus is that you’ll be able to pronounce and will have heard of all the ingredients listed on the package.  Vita Coco contains coconut water and vitamin C.  Other brands contain only coconut water.

Coconut water, however, is lower in sodium and carbs than Gatorade.  While some people try to watch their intake of both, you do lose sodium through sweat and carbs are essential to help restore your body after a workout.  I just make sure I replenish those with food or a smoothie after my coconut water. 

There are several brands of coconut water out there – Vita Coco, O.N.E., and Zico and a few that I've heard of.  Of these I’ve tried Vita Coco and O.N.E. and both are good.  Some have added juices like pineapple or mango.  These I have not tried.  Since the nutrition panels for the three brands are pretty comparable, for me it comes down to price and availability.  I try to stock up when it’s on sale. Last week Vita Coco was 10/$10 at Kroger instead of $1.79 each.  (Like I said, it's not a cheap route to take.)

If you like sports drinks but would like something more natural, I highly recommend giving coconut water a try.

Do you drink sports drinks or coconut water to replenish electrolytes after a workout?

 

Running in the Heat and Humidity

I read an interesting article on Active.com about how your performance can be negatively affected by heat and humidity.  Not that this was news to me - I experience this firsthand every summer.  What I didn’t realize, however, is just how much even slight temperature increases can slow you down.  For example, the article states that someone who runs an average 8-minute-per-mile pace might slow down by anywhere between 5 seconds and 1 minute, 35 seconds, depending on the temperature.  Add humidity on top of that and I imagine it’s even worse.      

Obviously, this is an example and everyone deals with heat differently but it helped me feel a little better about my performance during the Dexter-Ann Arbor ½ Marathon!  I have a race this Saturday so I’ll have to remember to start out a little more slowly until I get a feel for how the temperature will affect me.  And I need to make sure I stop for a drink at every aid station, whether I feel thirsty or not, since being dehydrated obviously makes you more susceptible to heat illness.

The article gives some suggestions for dealing with heat and also ways to help your body acclimate to hotter conditions.  When I think of training I think of speed work, hills, endurance runs, etc. but I never would have thought about training my body in this way.  Even if you aren’t training to run through the desert, just adjusting to the season changes in Michigan can be challenging.  I think if you follow some of the recommendations and give your body a little extra time to acclimate at the beginning of the summer, it will make for a more enjoyable running season.

You can read part 1 and part 2 of the article on Active.com.

What do you do to help your body adjust to running in the summer heat and humidity?